Comprised of Joseph Raglani (Kranky) and Mike Pollard (Arbor), Bryter Layter is a collaborative unit that focuses on the lyrical faculties of analog synthesis. For the most part, these recordings find the pair eschewing the at-times unfocused, long-form drone techniques that have become fixtures in the scene in favor of short, melodic compositions that are strikingly rich in detail. Listeners familiar with the oeuvres of Raglani and Pollard will find much to love here. As the pillow-soft, analog tone-clouds that characterize the latter’s work as Pale Blue Sky find themselves wed to the highly structured, dynamic arrangements that one associates with the former’s solo output.”Two Lenses” is rich and cinematic, rife with evocative motifs which ebb and flow from one piece to the next creating, over the course of the album, a masterfully composed, unified whole.
Recorded live and meticulously arranged by Raglani at his home studio, and mastered by Greg Davis to supreme effect, Two Lenses (released by Students of Decay) builds upon and extends the qualities established on the pair’s 2009 cassette release “Imprinted Season” in every way. Their work here runs the gamut from maudlin and picturesque to profoundly hopeful always with an eye towards the beautiful.
The folks at SXSW just launched their PanelPicker online, which allows for anyone to vote on topics they would be interested in being finalized as panels at SXSW 2011. Voting is live until August 27.
GGR submitted its own panel proposal, and you can vote for it here. (you’ll have to register for a FREE panelpicker account first)
Regardless of whether you plan on having a record pressed here at GGR, or by any one of the fine pressing plants around the world, we feel strongly that the topics we proposed will be helpful to anyone — new or veteran — wanting to get records pressed.
Here is a description of our proposal:
With the recent increase in the number of albums being pressed on vinyl, there is more interest now than in a very long time among bands and indie labels on how to press their own records. Many of these bands and labels have been raised during the “digital generation”, and therefore can find the process of moving their music to the analog vinyl format challenging. In particular, music that has not been mastered specifically for the vinyl format can sound horrible– clips; distortion; and in some cases, skips can ruin the end listening experience. This panel introduces those who are interested in having their own music pressed on vinyl to the process and limitations of the format. From the very limitations of the analog sound spectrum, to the inherent specifications of those flat black circle discs– this panel will discuss every technical aspect of pressing a vinyl record from the start to the finish and all in-between.
QUESTIONS ANSWERED:
Remember– voting closes on August 27!